Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Lakeland man and interrupted his apparent crime spree, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 after a swift investigation.

50-year old Michael David Reading was recently arrested and bonded out of jail in February 2025 for drug and paraphernalia charges. His April 8th arrest marks 21 total bookings in the Polk County Jail.

This most recent investigation began on April 1, 2025, with the report of a theft of tools from a construction site in Winter Haven. The construction crew working at Simmers Young Park locked up their tools for the evening (March 31) in an enclosed utility trailer, and when they returned to work on April 1st, discovered that a generator and several Milwaukee brand power tools were missing. 

While that investigation was underway, the PCSO received a report that a 1989 Ford Bronco was stolen from a Shell gas station in Auburndale. On April 6th, the victim left his Bronco locked and parked at the gas station after it broke down. The next day, two men showed up at the scene and towed it with a grey pickup truck that had distinctive white letters on the back window. This was captured on video surveillance. 

A PCSO crime analyst identified the suspect vehicle as a 2000 Ford Ranger registered to a Winter Haven man. Detectives interviewed the man, who told them he had recently sold the truck to someone named Mike, and he provided them with Mike's contact information, who was positively identified as Reading. When detectives responded to Reading's home, they found both the stolen Bronco, and the Ford Ranger. Between the time of the vehicle theft and the detectives responding to his home, Reading had removed the tag from the Ranger and the distinctive large white letters on the rear window.

Detectives at Reading's home noted there was an orange Predator 5000 generator on the porch, which matched the description of the one stolen along with the power tools. The victim of that theft positively identified it; Reading denied stealing it and claimed he was in the hospital between April 1st and 2nd. Detectives obtained evidence that refuted his claim.

“Michael Reading is one of those criminals who simply does not hesitate to steal, cheat, and lie. He has lived a life of crime and has shown no remorse, nor any indication that he will change his criminal ways. It is apparent that the only way to keep him from committing crime is to keep him locked up.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Reading was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with:

2 counts Burglary (F3)
Grand theft of a motor vehicle (F3)
Grand theft (F3)
Conspiracy to commit grand theft (F3)
Operating unpermitted landfill (M1)


He has an extensive criminal history, including prior convictions for burglary, theft, and dealing in stolen property.